NFL Week 1 Predictions: Picking Toughest Games Against the Spread

The real meat of Week 1 of the 2013 NFL season is just a day away, something many bettors have been awaiting for many months.

Opening week is always a great time for both sharps and the general public to make some money at the sportsbooks, as the line-makers in Vegas and offshore aren’t quite sure how the NFL landscape will look.

If you haven’t made a decision on which games to bet yet, keep reading for our picks on all the remaining action plus some in-depth info on a few critical matchups.

  

Cincinnati Bengals (+3) at Chicago Bears

The Bengals boast one of the top defenses in the entire league and may finish the season ranked No. 1 in plenty of categories on that side of the football.

It’s a ferocious unit led by elite defensive line play, solid corners and powerful linebackers that can easily stuff the run while possessing the athleticism to drop into coverage.

While the Bears have the home-field advantage, Cincinnati is simply the superior team.

The Bengals will be able to shut down Chicago’s medium-to-deep passing game by covering Brandon Marshall and then focusing on limiting Matt Forte’s effectiveness out of the backfield.

It’s going to be a close one, but ultimately Cincy covers and likely outright wins to pay money-line backers.

 

Arizona Cardinals (+4.5) at St. Louis Rams

This unheralded matchup between two NFC West rivals will not go unnoticed by hardcore NFL fans and bettors.

Both the Rams and Cardinals have just as much of a chance as the San Francisco 49ers or Seattle Seahawks to win the division and advance deep into the playoffs, but Arizona seems to be the smarter play here.

The Cardinals have a ton of value at +4.5, especially considering their defense appears to be on the cusp of greatness.

Their offense improved drastically with Carson Palmer under center, although the offensive line still needs some work in order to protect him better.

Given the St. Louis defense is equally strong and the Rams offense equally questionable, we should be in for a tight battle. Take the points and get paid when this one is decided by a field goal.

 

San Diego Chargers (+5.5) over Houston Texans

This Monday Night Football showdown looks to be a tad lopsided on paper, but the Chargers could make a serious leap forward in 2013 with Norv Turner finally out of the picture.

The Bolts offensive line was the worst in the league last season and can only go up this year, while signal-caller Philip Rivers has a coach in Mike McCoy that will emphasis short throws and getting the ball out before the pressure hits.

With Houston’s superstar running back Arian Foster not prepared for a full workload, the Chargers defense has a bit of an easier job slowing down what amounts to a prolific offensive attack.

While it would be imprudent to bet the Bolts on the money-line, they should be able to give the Texans a run for their money and keep things close in this nationally televised contest.

Expect Houston to win, but San Diego will cover at home on Monday.